Composition of matter for use in treatment of diseases of the skin



Patented Aug. 1, 1933 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CODIPOSITION OF MATTER FOR USE IN TREATMENT OF DISEASES OF THE SKIN Olaf Haraldson, Minot, N. Dak.

No Drawing. Application July 8, 1930 Serial No. 466,578

3 Claims. (Cl. 167-63) The invention relates to a composition of mattive means for treating eczematous diseases of ter especially adapted for use in. the treatment the skin. of diseases of the skin, and more particularly to The present invention accordingly relates to a paste or jelly, colloidal in-its nature, which conthe incorporation to formalin or formaldehyde,

5 tains uncombined formaldehyde, the jelly being preferably with glycerine, in a semisolid or semi- 60 applied to the affected part and the formaldeliquid composition suitable for applying to the hyde liberated by the heat of the body surface. skin, hair or nails. By selecting the proper in The principal object of the invention is acgredients in their properproportions, acomposicordingly to produce an improved formalin comtion can be obtained which, when applied to the position for the treatment of skin diseases. body surface and subjected to body heat, will 65 According to its preferred embodiment, my indry forming a thin gelatinous covering or film, vention comprises adding formaldehyde or and simultaneously with this drying process formalin and glycerine to a water soluble paste formalin gas will be liberated.

or jelly such as starch paste (boiled starch and Such composition can be made as follows:

water) or bentonite, or any other equally suitgm. starch is mixed into 200 cc. cold water able semisolid water soluble vehicle, which, and slowly mixed into 300 cc. boiling water over when applied to skin or body surface and when steam bath. When the mixture changes to a subjected to body heat, rapidly dries, liberating semitransparent or opalescent color, I stop the formalin gas under conditions permitting it to boiling and add to the mixture 10 cc. glycerine 20 penetrate the superficial cells of the skin and its and later add from 10 to 50 cc. formalin, and

appendages and killing the fungi, as well as exeraromatic oils and coloring matter. After thorcising other beneficial action. oughly mixing, the composition may be placed I am aware that solids containing formaldein collapsible tin tubes for sale and use. hyde have been previously obtained, but the pur- Having described one of the preferred -meth- 25 pose of incorporating the formaldehyde was ods of preparing the ingredients now known to either to disinfect the solids themselves or to me, I desire it understood that the process outliberate formalin gas to disinfect atmosphere. I lined, as well as the ingredients, may be modified am also aware that porous and absorbent powin minor or formal detail, such as the substituder (talcum and aluminum oxide) have been tion of equivalent operations and ingredients,

30 previously made to absorb, occlude and retain and the variation of the proportions of the informalin, so that when this powder in turn abgradients employed. Gum tragacanth, quince sorbs perspiration, the p spiration will be disseed, acacia, agar agar, bentonite, colloidal clay infected and deodorized by.the contained foror equivalents may be employed, together with, malin. or in place of, the starch, without necessarily 35 I am also aware that formaldehyde has previemploying them all.

ously been incorporated in emulsions (fat and One of the important features of the present water) in liquid a surgical p s c ta g invention consists in preparing the formalin ar aga but none of these p ses ave ncomposition of such consistency and physical vo ved rapid drying and liberation of formalin character that it will exhibit fractional drying 40 gas under such conditions that it will penetrate en applied t the skin. The drying process of the superficial cells and kill fungi and exert the composition when appliedto the skin will be favorable medicinal action. I am also aware that retarded in direct proportion to the amount of bentonite has been previously used together glycerine used. A certain balanced proportion with other ingredients to form a lasting moist v of glycerine will produce a composition which, 45 poultlce, but not with formaldehyde. It has long when applied to the Skin m form a thin gelaim been known that formalin gas is a powerful agent to kill fungi, while a solution or moist suspension nous p T .gelfatmous covermg exmbits of formalin is only mildly fungicidal. The latter lapld drymg Its and mm principle has never been heretofore applied to a retenmon F for the formahn- AS the deeper 0 the treatment of skin diseases of fungus origin". Zone of thls covering dries and liberates its So far as I am aware, no previous process has formalin the formalin gas is unable to 2 2 been devised in which body heat acting on a into the air and will din ly penetrate into compound liberates formalin gas for the treatthe up fi cells of t e skin and exert its ment of skin diseases. I have discovered that d ci aetion- T method of preparing the 55 formalin when used by my process is an efl'ecformalin composition described in the preceding l10 paragraph exhibits this fractional drying char-' acteristic.

Formalin gas, being an irritant to the skin and sensory nerve endings, produces a burning sensa tion, varying in intensity according to the concentration of the formalin gas coming in contact with the skin. When 2 percent glycerine is used in the 2 percent formalin composition, a rather marked burning sensation is produced when applied to the skin. When 10 percent glycerine is used in the 2 percent formalin composition, it produces a less marked burning sensation and dries more slowly. When the glycerine is omitted from the 2 percent formalin composition, the drying process occurs more rapidly and by sense of smell one can detect more formalin escaping into the air. The burning sensation felt in the skin is of shorter duration and less intense. I

It has previously been known that formalin (formalin gas suspended in water) is a useful germicide and fungicide, and that its most potent action as a fungicide or germicide occurs when the formalin gas is liberated and permitted to act. Seed grain can be dipped in formalin soluemployed in the treatment of many diseases.

Where it is applied to skin in fungus infections, the infected areas will develop into red, inflamed blotches, and this can be used as a specific test for the presence of ringworm. If applied repeatedly the composition will cause the ringworm infection to disappear. If the present formalin composition is applied to moist vesicular itching eczema of the hands, it will relieve the itching almost immediately and dry up and cure the condition. If applied to the area of skin involved in pruritis am, the formalin composition will cause the symptoms to disappear and will cure the condition. If a composition containing -10 to 20 percent formalin is applied to the ringworm infected area of cattle, it will cure the condition. Where the composition is applied to Tem'a tonsurans (Kerion) infected skin or scalp, two applications a week apart will usually cure the condition. If the present formalin composition is applied to some of the skin conditions usually diagnosed as toxic dermatitis, dermatitis venenata (poison ivy poisoning), the patient will often experience immediate relief.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a new and improved formalin composition and a new and improved method of using formalin gas as a diagnostic test for fungus infection of the skin and also for treating other diseases of the skin and its appendages. A specific embodiment of the invention hasbeen described in detail for the purpose of illustration, but it will be obvious that variations or modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention. i

What I claim is:

1. A medicinal salve for the treatment of skin diseases of fungus origin,'comprising a paste containing uncombined formaldehyde and a colloidal vehicle which retains the formaldehyde until liberated by the body heat, said vehiclecontaining a suificient quantity of glycerine to prevent too rapid drying of the paste until the same is applied to the skin, but insufficient to prevent liberation of formalin gas to the skin when a thin layer of the paste is subjected to body heat. I

2. A medicinal salve for the treatment of skin diseases comprising a colloidal paste, composed of the following ingredients in substantially the proportions named: 30 gms. starch, 500 cc. water, 10 cc. glycerine and 10-50 cc. uncombined formalin.

3. A method of producing a medicinal salve for use in the treatment of skin diseases, which consists in mixing 30 gms. of starch in 200 cc. of cold water, then slowly adding the mixture to 300 cc. of boiling water, boiling the mixture until it changes to a semitransparent or opalescent color, then adding 10 cc. of glycerine, subsequently adding 10-50 cc. of formalin, andthoroughly mixing all the ingredients.

OLAF HARALDsoN. 

